I was about to walk into Kroger when a tweenager sitting at a table smiled and asked, “Would you like to buy a candy bar?” I said no and kept moving. Three steps inside, it hit me, and I went back out. “What are the candy bars for?”
She explained that her Energizers dance group is trying to raise money for an opportunity to dance at Disney World. “You need to work on your sales pitch! No one wants to buy a candy bar. Everyone wants to support the Energizers.” Her grandmother, sitting next to her, smiled and agreed. “So what should you be saying?” She thought for a moment and come up with, “Would you like to support the Energizers’ dance trip to Disney World?” I smiled and told her to catch me on the way back out.
I completed my shopping, a little embarrassed that I was “being the teacher” with a total stranger who had not asked for my advice. And I did, in fact, purchase a horribly overpriced Kit-Kat bar. But on my return trip, she said, “As soon as my grandmother gets back, I’m going to make a sign.” So she had been thinking about improving her sales technique. And as I walked to my car, I heard her saying to two different people behind me, “Would you like to support the Energizers’ trip to dance at Disney World?”
I’d like to think I helped her be more successful. I know I’m not a classroom teacher any more, but sometimes a teachable moment presents itself, and I tend to define “classroom” broadly. Retirement? Maybe someday.
Teachable moments exist everywhere. I have seen them utilized in ways which lead to what my friends and I call “character development”. Contrastingly, I have also seen them fail. Perhaps the person on the receiving end was not very receptive to the advice/ teaching. Other times, the teacher has a short coming in their presentation of information; their intention was misunderstood or maybe the person receiving disagreed.
Personally, I find that pride is my biggest personal blockade to receiving suggestions.
Teachers have the ability to do so much for individuals. Trained teachers have the upper hand in the sense that they have further understanding of how the brain works. Others… well they try as well as they can.
One of my flash bulb memories is when you were teaching me how to add using coins. You had all silver coins. I was frustrated because I wanted to impress you and I thought I should already know it. Instead, I learned something because you met me where I was and broke it down for me.
A random 2 AM thought from your favorite niece 😉
Elise, I remember that moment, too. Once I realized we were in territory that was new to you, I didn’t want to quit – didn’t want you to think it was too hard for you. So we kept at it, and you got it. I wish I had kept those quarters. 🙂